Regina is asteroid #285 and also known as A889 PA. Regina’s orbit is characterized by a semi-major axis of 3.08 Astronomical Units, an eccentricity of 0.21, a period of revolution of 1 975 days, and an inclination of 17.6 degrees. Regina was discovered by the French astronomer Auguste Honoré Pierre Charlois at the Nice Observatory (Observatoire de Nice) in southeastern France near the border with Italy.

Most of the asteroid discoveries of Auguste Charlois have names of unclear origin. Regina belongs to these. So only the name Regina itself can be examined. This name is of unclear origin, too. There are three candidates: It could be derived from the Norse word regin / rọgn, which means a decision of the gods. Then the name Regina could simply be the Latin word rēgīna, which denotes a queen or a princess, preferably a reigning queen. It also was used as a title of goddesses. A third possibility is that Regina is derived from the Celtic name Rīganī, which is either the name of a (not anymore known) goddess or also a title given to some goddesses. Especially the Celtic goddess Rosmerta is believed to have been addressed as Rīganī because both names were found within one inscription. Rosmerta is a Celtic goddess, who accompanies the Roman god Mercurius, so obviously a late part of Celtic mythology, developed during a time, when the Romans already ruled Celtic territory. Mercurius brought trade with the Romans and Rosmerta profit and wealth from this trade. So Regina represents women in responsible positions. This should be covered by all of the possibilities of the origin of this name.